DHespov meres wor 7d dt aiproy rig 0108 ;—
& My care is for to-day” (the present season); “who knows to-morrow” (or the time to come) ?
To the same purpose are juépa and aiprov, used in the gospel, Matt. Vi. 34: My ody wepipvionre cig chy adpiovr 4 yap adpiov wsprmvqoes re EauTras dpuerty +H nutpa 4 xaxia adrys-—“ Take no care for the morrow” (things future and unknown): “the morrow shall take care for the things of itself” (provision shall be made for things future accord- ing as they fall out). “Sufficient unto the day” (the present time and season) “is the evil thereof.” To the same purpose do they use “hodie” in the Latin tongue, as in these common sayings,—
“ Sera nimis vita est crastina, viv’ hodie ;”
And,—
“ Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit;”’ with many other sayings of the like importance. This, then, is the sense and meaning of the word absolutely considered. The apostle exhorts the Hebrews, in the words of the psalmist, to make use of the present season, by the use of means, for the furtherance of their
30 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IIT.
faith and obedience, that they may be preserved from hardness of heart and final unbelief. And what arguments unto duty are sug- gested from a present season shall afterwards be considered. To enforce this exhortation, the apostle minds them that there is in the words of the psalmist,—1. A retrospect unto a monitory example. For others there were who had their day also, their season. This they improved not, they answered it not, nor filled it up with the duty that it was designed unto; and therefore the sad event befell them mentioned in the text. Hence doth he enforce his exhortation: ‘It is now to-day with you, it was once to-day with them of old; but you see what a dark, sad evening befell them in the close of their day. Take heed lest it be so with you also.” 2. A respect unto the day enjoyed in the time of the psalmist, which completed the type; of which before. And yet further;—there was, 3. More than a mere example intended by the psalmist. A prophecy also of the times of the gospel was included in the words, as our apostle declares in the next chapter. Such a season as befell the Jews at the giving of the law, is prefigured to happen to them at the giving of the gos- pel. The law being given on mount Sinai, the church of the He- brews who came out of Egypt had their day, their time and season for the expressing of their obedience thereunto, whereon their en- trance into Canaan did depend. This was their day, wherein they were tried whether they would hearken unto the voice of God or no; namely, the space of thirty-eight or forty years in the wilderness. The gospel was now delivered from mount Sion. And the church of the Hebrews, to whom the word of it first came, had their pecu- liar day, prefigured in the day after the giving of the law enjoyed by their forefathers. And it was to be but a day, but one especial season, as theirs was. And a trying season it was to be,— whether in the limited space of it they would obey the voice of God or no. And this especial day continued for the space of thirty-eight or forty years,—from the preaching of the gospel by our Lord Jesus Christ, and his death, unto the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus; wherein the greatest part of the people fell, after the same example of unbe- lief with their forefathers, and entered not into the rest of God. This was the day and the season that was upon. the Hebrews at this time, which the apostle exhorts them to the use and improvement of. 7epov, then, or “to-day,” signifies in general a present season, which men are not long to be intrusted with; and it hath a triple respect, limitation, or application:—1. Unto the season enjoyed by the people in the wilderness, who neglected it. 2. Unto the per- sons spoken unto in the psalmist typically, who were exhorted to use it. 3. Unto the present Hebrews, whose gospel day was therein foretold and prefigured. In all which we are instructed unto the due use of a present season.
VER. 7-11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 31
Obs, X. Old Testament examples are New Testament instruc- tions.
Our apostle elsewhere, reckoning sundry instances of things that fell out amongst the people of old, affirms of them Tatra 8: révra ciao cvveCosvov éxeivors, 1 Cor. x. 11;—“ All these things befell them as types.” The Jews havea saying, p25 poD mas yrsw nn 53 ;—“That which happeneth unto the father is a sign or example unto the chil- dren.” In general, and in the order of all things, “ Discipulus est pri- oris posterior dies ;’—-“‘The following day is to learn of the former.” Experience is of the greatest advantage for wisdom. But there is more in this matter. The will and appointment of God are in it. From thence, that all the times of the old testament, and what fell out in them, are instructive of the times and days of the new, not only the words, doctrines, and prophecies that were then given out, but the actions, doings, and sufferings of the people which then fell out, are to the same purpose. There is more in it than the general use of old records and histories of times past, which yet are of excellent use unto a wise consideration in things moral and political. This many have made it their work to manifest and demonstrate. Thesum of all is comprised in those excellent words of the great Roman historian concerning his own work, [Liv., Pref.]:—‘“ Ad illa mihi acriter pro.se quisque intendat animum, que vita, qui mores fuerint: per quos viros, quibusque artibus, domi militizque, et partum et auctum imperium sit. Labente deinde paullatim disciplina, velut desidentes primo mores sequatur animo; deinde ut magis magisque lapsi sint; tum ire coeperint preecipites: donec ad hzec tempora, quibus nec vitia nostra, nec remedia pati possumus, perventum est. Hoc illud est precipue in cognitione rerum salubre ac frugiferam; omnis te exempli documenta in illustri posita monumento intueri: inde tibi quod imitere capias; inde, fodum inceptu, foedum exitu, quod vites;”—“Hereunto” (in reading this history) “let every one dili- gently attend, to consider who were the men, what was their life and manners, by what means and arts this empire was both erected and increased.. And then, moreover, how good discipline insensibly decaying was attended with manners also differing from the former; which in process of time increasing, rushed all things at length head- long into these times of ours, wherein we can endure neither our vices nor their remedies. This is that which, in the knowledge of past affairs, is both wholesome and fruitful,—that we have an illus- trious monument of all sorts of examples, from whence you may take